Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had termed NEP as "a danger to the nation", and the state Education Minister V Sivankutty, who claimed that NEP could lead to "central interference" in syllabus design, signed the scheme without the approval of the state cabinet.
Kerala joins PM SHRI scheme after facing fund freeze and public criticism for blocking NEP-aligned reforms. The state now admits central funds are essential to pay teachers and sustain key educational initiatives.